It’s the latest example of Turner’s community service in the Dallas area.

Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber (42) and Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) looks for a rebound during the second quarter of an NBA game between the Indiana Pacers and the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, March 8, 2020 at American Airlines Center in Dallas.(Ashley Landis / Staff Photographer)

Turner’s father, David, was successfully treated for COVID-19 at the hospital in late March, and Turner’s donation will benefit the “immediate needs” of frontline caregivers at the hospital, according to the organization’s announcement.

“My family and I are extremely grateful for the dedication and care Texas Health gave my father,” Turner said in a statement. “We weren’t able to be with him while he was being treated, which was really hard, but knowing how well he was cared for gave us a lot of comfort. That’s why we wanted to give something back to the people who dedicated themselves to getting him back to health. We prayed for his recovery every day and are thankful to have him home.”

Turner’s father suffered from flu-like symptoms for a week before being admitted to Texas Health HEB on March 24. After he was diagnosed with pneumonia and tested positive for the coronavirus on March 27, David wasn’t allowed visitors.

The donation from Turner will go toward thousands of employees who care for COVID-19 patients while needing help with critical expenses, such as food, daycare and other medical equipment.

“I wasn't able to see my family for a number of days, which was very tough,” David Turner said in a statement. “I feel strongly that having loved ones by your side at a time like that can affect how you get through it. In my case I was right. My nurses — Jacqueline, Julianne, Jenna and Shelby — were my blessing. I can't express enough how appreciative I am for the care they gave me. They worked tirelessly to save my life, feel a sense of encouragement and keep me smiling."

Weeks before his dad was diagnosed with COVID-19 and a few days before the pandemic forced the NBA on March 11 to suspend operations, Turner and his family helped raise spirits for another Dallas-area family.

Before the Pacers faced the Mavericks on March 8 in Dallas, Turner met with 11-year-old A’Myah Moon, a sixth-grade student in Plano ISD. Moon is battling a rare form of cancer and had been bullied when a classmate pulled off her wig during school.

Turner shared a private moment with Moon on the American Airlines Center court before the game, offering advice, friendship and a few gifts, and Turner’s family gathered with Moon’s after the game. In the past, Turner has also hosted annual basketball camps in the Bedford area to inspire and interact with young players from his hometown.

“The reason I do this isn’t for the cameras and that kind of stuff,” Turner said after meeting Moon. “Kids see us, and we’re larger than life. They see us out on the floor, kind of like superheroes in a sense, doing what we do.

“When they see us [up close] in person, it’s like, you realize I’m just a human being like you are, too.”

Callie Caplan, Staff Writer. Callie Caplan covers the Dallas Mavericks, high school football and Olympic sports. She has also written for The Washington Post, USA Today and The Baltimore Sun and graduated from the University of Maryland in 2017.